Hidelihow!
Here we are again in Irkutsk. So, we have a lot to tell. Lets start!
We arrived last week in the morning at 3.30 Am at Irkutsk after 80 houres train! It was a nice period to read, to sleep and to enjoy the view. The weather wasn't that great because it was rainy al the time, except the last day. So it wasn't pictureweather :) The 4 days on the train were chilled. We slept in the less expensive dorm were 54 people sleep in the same wagon. We thought it would be a lot of noise, but it was so quiet. We were lucky because next to us there was a russian young couple who could speak a little bit of english. We talked, laught, played card games and she taught Simon about the food in Russia that is not always trustworthy. A lot of food is expired so we have to look at the date all the time when we buy something. The couple was so worried about us and they gave us like tablets for not getting sick when we eat bad food and she gave us also a little bottle of arnika for the throat. They are fantastic!
The trainride was a good experience but just the arrivaltime was crappy. We got out of the train in the midle of the night and we didn't slept anything that day. We searched a place to sleep, our host of couchsurfing didn't had time for us, and took of the next day to go to the famous Baikallake. In the hostel we met a couple from Israel and Bosnie who were amazing and give us a lot of information about good places around the baikallake. Thanks Vanja and Nir!
Thuesday we had a bit of a trouble to find the right bus that did go to the baikal. We had like 20 minutes left to find the bus when someone told us that we were in the wrong place :( So a girl just pushed us in a taxi, payed for us and the taxidriver found the right bus just 2 minutes before it left. the most exciting 20 minutes in a hole time :)
So we stopped in Petrova, a litlle town near the lake. We started walking but the map whe got was so bad that we didn't knew where to go. We were so releaved when a car stopped and took us like in the good direction. Eventually he took us to a 'farm' ( there wasn't anything yet) and there we met Jora. He is a guy from Oezbekistan that saved some money and just bought a piece of land in the midle of pluto :) So he lives now in a container that once was a 24 hour shop :) untill his wooden house is finished, that takes normally 1 month. That night was just amazing, Jora let us ride his horse ( so great! for simont the first time without a saddle :)we could sleep at his place, but we slept like a couple of hours because of the noise of mice and because of to many tea ;)
The next day we walked like 15km I think, with beautiful sights and a dangerous tiring descent of a big hill. And it was so freezing cold! We are so lucky that we have good sleepingbags, a really freezing northwind never experienced. Eventually we arrived in a bay where some people were making a fire. We stopped by just to ask where we were but ended with glasses of vodka in our hands and a bunch of people who were trying to explain things in russian :) In the morning they were still or maybe again drunk. So they 'married' us at the baikal and they said we had to do a lot of wishes :)
Again we started walking, a bit stiffer then the previous days, and we were just stunned about the beauty of the lake. In the evening we walked to a bay where there were two houses and in one of them there was a fisher living and simon asked if he could buy 2 Umulfish, special from the baikal. He cooked them and simon said it was just an amazing tast. A sweet waterlake, but a really salty fish.
The 4th day we searched for the main road where we tried to hitch hike to the big island Olhkon. We stopped a litlle bus, we paid some 300 roebels and in the bus we met Jurek from Tjech Republic. He is so funny and we stayed with him the hole evening when we were trying to find a sleeping place and eat some sibberian stuff in a little cafe where they were not used to have a lot of tourists I think because the service was crap :) On the boat to the island we also met friends from Rita, our host in St-Petersburg. They were just in the last day of their 6 months travelling through Asia. But I think they were to tired to tell a lot about their journey.
the next morning we got up with beautiful weather, a blue sky. So we hitch hiked to the north of the island, cape Hoboi. The first 2 rides were great but then we met a guy who was searching tourists to drive them to the north for money. The first time we met him we explained we didn't want to pay and that we wanted to walk and hitch hike. So we walked and then he stopped again and was like saying "sit, sit, all oke" and simon said that we didn't had money. He drove us, and 2 other tourists, to some places and I felt the hole time that it wasn't right. So then he stopped at the northen point and he shouted ' money money'. It really pissed me off, he was a rude guy and eventually we gave him like 120 roebels ( like 3 euro) witch isn't much, but he was just a mean guy that tricked tourists. But the cape was beautiful, very nice and very very windy.
the rest of the day we just walked back and we got a ride back to town from a russian and his mother. They asked like 1000 roebels to drive us to Irkutsk, what is way to much we thought, so we got of at Kuzhir and thanked them for the bumpy ride :)
That evening we searched also Jurek again to say goodbye and then we saw the french couple who we met in Moscou. What a coincidence!
We put our tent near the town and got up very early to hitch hike back to Irkutsk with a stop in Petrova because a left my pocket knife in Jura's place. The last ride we got from Eugene who worked as a placeman for windows ( I don't know how you call them) and he drove us to the centre of Irkutsk. We found the same place where we could sleep in a good appartement, again our contact in Irkutsk didn't had time what frustrated us.
So we still live and we are now in a appartement from someone we don't know :) We were just on our way to another hostel, because its cheaper, and on the tram a american came to us and asked if we were frenchman ( he had a bet with his friend) and he had a telephonenumber of a friend that maybe could host us. So here we are, skyping and emailing in someones house we just met for 2 minutes. How crazy the world can be.
The next plan : tomorrow we'll take the train to Ulan ude and there we will take a bus to Ulaan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. Because it seems that taking the bus is less expensive and takes less time than the train. We will see :)
see you in Mongolia!
maandag 31 augustus 2009
donderdag 27 augustus 2009
Moscow
Hidelyhow,
Goodnight everyone, in eleven houres we will take the train to Irkutsk near the beautifull Baikal lake, but first I sleep some houres before visiting the Kremlin.
First I tell somethings about our experience in Moscow.
We took the night train from St-Petersburg to Moscow, but we had only sittingplaces. So we were little broken after 8 houres sitting. Little irritaded and tired we entered one big trainstation of Moscow. Many people, big hall with a big statue of Lenin. We searched the day before the adress of the tourist information center, so we could get some information. We first left our luggage in the luggage room and tried to find the tourist info center. But we had bad luck, Moscow has not so many pulic street maps as St-Peterburg and certainly not in English, so we start asking the people without succes. Finally we found a girl in a certain travel agency who could speak english, but se asked us 40 R to tell us where the street was we searched! We laughed friendly and went away. Finaly after toiletvisit we were a little more relaxed and found a good streetmap were Saartje found the street. We entered the metrostation and bought a card of twenty rides. We learned the Cyrillic letters so we could read the some words to find our way.
Once arrived in the street there was no sign of tourist inforation center so we asked and nobody knew were it was. But we persisted and finaly found it in the huge buildig. It was worth the energy because they gave us very good and a lot of information. after the visit we had to fill our day because we could only meet our host after his work around six o'clock. So we walked ten minutes before it started to rain and we fled into a coffee bar where we spend the afternoon reading al the information we got. It was for me an eye opener because it suddenly appeared to me that Russia is incredible beautiful and there are so many places to go, it is just a big world on its own. Now I understan few Russians(in our experience) speak English, it is just not nesessery.
That day we saw already the red square and some other crazy buildings. But as usual, we were not to impressed.
At six we met Youry, our Host, at the Metro station, Mira Prospect. We felt immediatly very confortable with him, and he is just a great and kind guy.
He made a beetrood soup for us, a traditional Russian cold soup, which tasted very good. We had a good chat. The naxe morning a couple of France arrived(Jean et Climence) also and together we visited the city. We found that they were so funny because they fell everywhere asleep.
Oke, It is getting to long, ...
We visited many places in the city together with nice Friends of Youry, like Macha and Jaana. They gave us a great time but tiring. It is a pitty taht we couldn't stay over until saturday to have a good party in Moscow to enjoy the nightlive. We had it actually, the second night but in his kichen wit champagne, bear, Letvian herb liqueur, home made vodka, it was fun, but as a result I didn't feel good at al the next morning.
After a week the bulding wich impressed me the most was the university. We realise we start to realy like Russia and like, based on our litle experience, Moscow more then St-petersburg.
Moscow is a city of the most beautifull metrostations, fancy cars, jeeps, cray drivers, alcoholics, little shops, big, huge buildings, rain, Lenin, Kremlin, many power, police, maby 15 miljon inhabitants, big roads, underground crosswalks, beatyfull parcs, gold and glory of the soviet time, and many beggars, .... I liked it, I felt home already the second day!
So we leave at 1.11 P.M. to Irkutsk for a ride of 80 houres. We bought noodles, don't worry, we won't starve. Good news is, we only payed like 10 000 R for oure tickets from St-Petersburg to Moscow plus Moscow-Irkuts( four tickets)
Love you mamie, papie, Lyssa
Love you mamie, papie, Jeroen
dikke kussen, met ons gaat het reuze goed!
Thanks to the nice people of Moscow to give us such a nice stay over
Goodnight everyone, in eleven houres we will take the train to Irkutsk near the beautifull Baikal lake, but first I sleep some houres before visiting the Kremlin.
First I tell somethings about our experience in Moscow.
We took the night train from St-Petersburg to Moscow, but we had only sittingplaces. So we were little broken after 8 houres sitting. Little irritaded and tired we entered one big trainstation of Moscow. Many people, big hall with a big statue of Lenin. We searched the day before the adress of the tourist information center, so we could get some information. We first left our luggage in the luggage room and tried to find the tourist info center. But we had bad luck, Moscow has not so many pulic street maps as St-Peterburg and certainly not in English, so we start asking the people without succes. Finally we found a girl in a certain travel agency who could speak english, but se asked us 40 R to tell us where the street was we searched! We laughed friendly and went away. Finaly after toiletvisit we were a little more relaxed and found a good streetmap were Saartje found the street. We entered the metrostation and bought a card of twenty rides. We learned the Cyrillic letters so we could read the some words to find our way.
Once arrived in the street there was no sign of tourist inforation center so we asked and nobody knew were it was. But we persisted and finaly found it in the huge buildig. It was worth the energy because they gave us very good and a lot of information. after the visit we had to fill our day because we could only meet our host after his work around six o'clock. So we walked ten minutes before it started to rain and we fled into a coffee bar where we spend the afternoon reading al the information we got. It was for me an eye opener because it suddenly appeared to me that Russia is incredible beautiful and there are so many places to go, it is just a big world on its own. Now I understan few Russians(in our experience) speak English, it is just not nesessery.
That day we saw already the red square and some other crazy buildings. But as usual, we were not to impressed.
At six we met Youry, our Host, at the Metro station, Mira Prospect. We felt immediatly very confortable with him, and he is just a great and kind guy.
He made a beetrood soup for us, a traditional Russian cold soup, which tasted very good. We had a good chat. The naxe morning a couple of France arrived(Jean et Climence) also and together we visited the city. We found that they were so funny because they fell everywhere asleep.
Oke, It is getting to long, ...
We visited many places in the city together with nice Friends of Youry, like Macha and Jaana. They gave us a great time but tiring. It is a pitty taht we couldn't stay over until saturday to have a good party in Moscow to enjoy the nightlive. We had it actually, the second night but in his kichen wit champagne, bear, Letvian herb liqueur, home made vodka, it was fun, but as a result I didn't feel good at al the next morning.
After a week the bulding wich impressed me the most was the university. We realise we start to realy like Russia and like, based on our litle experience, Moscow more then St-petersburg.
Moscow is a city of the most beautifull metrostations, fancy cars, jeeps, cray drivers, alcoholics, little shops, big, huge buildings, rain, Lenin, Kremlin, many power, police, maby 15 miljon inhabitants, big roads, underground crosswalks, beatyfull parcs, gold and glory of the soviet time, and many beggars, .... I liked it, I felt home already the second day!
So we leave at 1.11 P.M. to Irkutsk for a ride of 80 houres. We bought noodles, don't worry, we won't starve. Good news is, we only payed like 10 000 R for oure tickets from St-Petersburg to Moscow plus Moscow-Irkuts( four tickets)
Love you mamie, papie, Lyssa
Love you mamie, papie, Jeroen
dikke kussen, met ons gaat het reuze goed!
Thanks to the nice people of Moscow to give us such a nice stay over
zondag 23 augustus 2009
Last day St-Petersburg
Hi,
We are now leaving our host Dmitry. We had yesterday a nice dinner together in his appartment.
Today we are going to the museum of political history and afterwards we'll visit the St-Isaak Cathedral. In the evening we'll eat the goodbuy dinner with Rita in a Indian restorant. At 1.30 A.M we have to take the train to Moscow. And we'll arrive there around 10 A.M. .
St-petersburg is a way to big city for us, and now we go to a much bigger city Moscow. We'll loose oure way certainly. but we have a host for the whole week, wich is very confortable.
St-petersburg, a city of 5 miljon official people and maybe 9 unofficial, a city of many beautiful houses and many ugly, buildings, of limosines and cars with flat tires, of many tourists, of beggers and alcohol, of of of
We are now leaving our host Dmitry. We had yesterday a nice dinner together in his appartment.
Today we are going to the museum of political history and afterwards we'll visit the St-Isaak Cathedral. In the evening we'll eat the goodbuy dinner with Rita in a Indian restorant. At 1.30 A.M we have to take the train to Moscow. And we'll arrive there around 10 A.M. .
St-petersburg is a way to big city for us, and now we go to a much bigger city Moscow. We'll loose oure way certainly. but we have a host for the whole week, wich is very confortable.
St-petersburg, a city of 5 miljon official people and maybe 9 unofficial, a city of many beautiful houses and many ugly, buildings, of limosines and cars with flat tires, of many tourists, of beggers and alcohol, of of of
woensdag 19 augustus 2009
St-Petersburg
Hello Hello,
With Nirvana on my head I write to you.
Sunday we arrived,from Letvia, in St-Petersburg. Two passport controls on the train made the night really short. In the morning we were surprised everyone was already awake, without knowing that we were arriving because it was already one hour later! (the time changes) But it was no probem, we managed to get off. But when we packed our stuff we found a little caterpillar . So the first thing we did after leaving our bags in the train station, was finding a nice flower for this little creature.
Sunday, the tourist office was closed so we bought a map and searched cheap hostels on the internet and tried to find them in reality wich is very difficult in this city where we can't read nothing, and where often shops and hostels are hidden behind iron doors.
We met also a nice young girl who helped us to find some cheap places. Finally we found a room for 2200 R or 50 euro. It was a pitty we haddn't found a couch that night, but we received some sms's and mails the next day! So now we slept two nights with Elena and Oleg with whom we had a little gathering in the botanic garden by night with some poth, jambes and fireshow.
Yesterday we did the bustour in St-Petersburg, but we had to force us to stay awake because we were tired of al the walking, the late night and al the impressions.
Afterwards we had a birthday of Stassy a friend af Rita two People from Hospitality club who invited us. A lot af food, nice chats and cousy. Surprisingly, they sleep on the ground, just like if we would go camping, very hard, but good for the back.
Now we go to Rita, we'll sleep tonight in here place.
Our impression is still little dark and very often very unfriendly people, who don't like to do anything for foreigners, but on the other hand ofcourse very nice and hospitable friend and a city like no other, big, impressive, full of castels, cathedrals, Churches, palaces, museums, it doesn't stop. You can spend all the money you have and even more...
Love
S&S
With Nirvana on my head I write to you.
Sunday we arrived,from Letvia, in St-Petersburg. Two passport controls on the train made the night really short. In the morning we were surprised everyone was already awake, without knowing that we were arriving because it was already one hour later! (the time changes) But it was no probem, we managed to get off. But when we packed our stuff we found a little caterpillar . So the first thing we did after leaving our bags in the train station, was finding a nice flower for this little creature.
Sunday, the tourist office was closed so we bought a map and searched cheap hostels on the internet and tried to find them in reality wich is very difficult in this city where we can't read nothing, and where often shops and hostels are hidden behind iron doors.
We met also a nice young girl who helped us to find some cheap places. Finally we found a room for 2200 R or 50 euro. It was a pitty we haddn't found a couch that night, but we received some sms's and mails the next day! So now we slept two nights with Elena and Oleg with whom we had a little gathering in the botanic garden by night with some poth, jambes and fireshow.
Yesterday we did the bustour in St-Petersburg, but we had to force us to stay awake because we were tired of al the walking, the late night and al the impressions.
Afterwards we had a birthday of Stassy a friend af Rita two People from Hospitality club who invited us. A lot af food, nice chats and cousy. Surprisingly, they sleep on the ground, just like if we would go camping, very hard, but good for the back.
Now we go to Rita, we'll sleep tonight in here place.
Our impression is still little dark and very often very unfriendly people, who don't like to do anything for foreigners, but on the other hand ofcourse very nice and hospitable friend and a city like no other, big, impressive, full of castels, cathedrals, Churches, palaces, museums, it doesn't stop. You can spend all the money you have and even more...
Love
S&S
zaterdag 15 augustus 2009
Latvia
Oke, lets start with saying that the last 3 days were amazing!
We started our trip in Gizycko, Poland, by hitch hiking to Kaunas. We had a really good long ride but unfortunately he stopped on the high way just next to the big city. So there we stood, wandering if we could hitch hike on the highway or on a little drive to the big high way. We tarted our patience on the little road but after an hour we searched a bus to the station and after a while we found some other tourist who told us ther was a camping at the place where we came from. It was the most strange and uncozy camping I ever saw but I was happy to be there and finally found a place to sleep. I didn't felt at my ease in the city, a lot of drunken people and I think it was not a nice trip we did through the city: a lot of buildings were dammaged and so grey. That night we had a while without clouds so we watched the falling stars and did a lot of wishes ( simon the most because I didn't see too much)
The day after we tried to hitch hike again but the son of the campingman made us depressed when he said that we had no chanche to hitch hike, no one would take us and the gasstation was 10 to 20 km further. Well, we prooved him wrong when we had a ride out of Kaunas. We took a bus and climbed our way to a gasstation and after 5 min we were out of there.
That day was uncredible. I have to say this first: when we started hitch hiking I did a wish: I wanted a ride with a nice car and I hoped that he paid us food. 10min later, a man took us more then 100km in his fancy car and he bought us some food in a rich restaurant from his friend. Blogstein or something we ate, so good! The resto was famous for it huge tree cake witch contained 1300 eggs and was 64 kg and 2m 30 or something, he must be somewhere between the pics. Saartje fell immideatly asleep in his car and together we cruised some houres through the beautiful Lithuania. I felt very lucky. It were nice views, we saw a fox, lightning, rain and many beautifull landscapes. Everywhere there are storks and also some cranes. Nice is there are few fences on the lands, the cows are mostly hanging on a long rope, sad, but it makes the view very beautifull.
So he dropped us at Zarasai and then with another ride we ended in Daugvapils. I said to simon: «and now it would be nice to meet someone who offered us a place to sleep’. And then we met Vitalijs. He didn't really spoke english but his wife studied on the university. He was really kind and offered to come to his place. He said something like 'badja' or black Russian sauna... We nodded. Once arrived it looked very remote and poor. Inside the house we found ten children fromwitch one baby. He introduced Masha, his wife, and her mother. Her mother cared for five fosterchildren an Masha too plus her two own daughters. It was really overwelming, but very cute. She talked properly english witch comforted us. She asked if she would like to join the weekly black Russian sauna. It was great. Good sauna and a good opportunity to wash us propperly. It was funny with Vitalijs, he was really crazy. Full of energy. I had to wipe him with herbs, so hard!
Afterwards, warm inside and outside we got very nice food, and they made our bed. Pink, with a beautifull view.
The next morning I changed the diaper of the baby, we made a walk and had a very strong breakfast together with some children. It contained ground mais and wheat boiled in water and salt, afterwards they added fresh milk and berry jam, delicious.... but little too much for Saartje ;)
They brought us afterwards back to the road leaving Malta. But before we made some pics of the big family. May god bless them!
After a while we were taken by a pick up truck and brought us to the lake of Luza. There we met some very drunk Russians (50% of Letvia is Russian) witch wanted us to drink too, but we could refuse and got some pork with bread and fresh tomatoes. We could camp on there land but we were very soon bored of there shittalking, so we left for a more quiet place on the other shore of the lake. After putting up the tent, we fell asleep immediatly. We felt tired and I felt like a little bit down. Hich hiking asks a lot of people. It brings really the grills of people to you. Some very beautifull, others less. But I thank al those who were rude and all those who were kind. I thank all those who didn't stop, they made it possible the others could stop.
After a long night but a bumpy night(not very good for the back) we left and hich hiked with two Jony's in a bumping car (the trunck was one big woofer) to Rezekne. They left us at the train station. At 22.50u we'll take the train to St-Petersburg.
so see you in Russia!
We started our trip in Gizycko, Poland, by hitch hiking to Kaunas. We had a really good long ride but unfortunately he stopped on the high way just next to the big city. So there we stood, wandering if we could hitch hike on the highway or on a little drive to the big high way. We tarted our patience on the little road but after an hour we searched a bus to the station and after a while we found some other tourist who told us ther was a camping at the place where we came from. It was the most strange and uncozy camping I ever saw but I was happy to be there and finally found a place to sleep. I didn't felt at my ease in the city, a lot of drunken people and I think it was not a nice trip we did through the city: a lot of buildings were dammaged and so grey. That night we had a while without clouds so we watched the falling stars and did a lot of wishes ( simon the most because I didn't see too much)
The day after we tried to hitch hike again but the son of the campingman made us depressed when he said that we had no chanche to hitch hike, no one would take us and the gasstation was 10 to 20 km further. Well, we prooved him wrong when we had a ride out of Kaunas. We took a bus and climbed our way to a gasstation and after 5 min we were out of there.
That day was uncredible. I have to say this first: when we started hitch hiking I did a wish: I wanted a ride with a nice car and I hoped that he paid us food. 10min later, a man took us more then 100km in his fancy car and he bought us some food in a rich restaurant from his friend. Blogstein or something we ate, so good! The resto was famous for it huge tree cake witch contained 1300 eggs and was 64 kg and 2m 30 or something, he must be somewhere between the pics. Saartje fell immideatly asleep in his car and together we cruised some houres through the beautiful Lithuania. I felt very lucky. It were nice views, we saw a fox, lightning, rain and many beautifull landscapes. Everywhere there are storks and also some cranes. Nice is there are few fences on the lands, the cows are mostly hanging on a long rope, sad, but it makes the view very beautifull.
So he dropped us at Zarasai and then with another ride we ended in Daugvapils. I said to simon: «and now it would be nice to meet someone who offered us a place to sleep’. And then we met Vitalijs. He didn't really spoke english but his wife studied on the university. He was really kind and offered to come to his place. He said something like 'badja' or black Russian sauna... We nodded. Once arrived it looked very remote and poor. Inside the house we found ten children fromwitch one baby. He introduced Masha, his wife, and her mother. Her mother cared for five fosterchildren an Masha too plus her two own daughters. It was really overwelming, but very cute. She talked properly english witch comforted us. She asked if she would like to join the weekly black Russian sauna. It was great. Good sauna and a good opportunity to wash us propperly. It was funny with Vitalijs, he was really crazy. Full of energy. I had to wipe him with herbs, so hard!
Afterwards, warm inside and outside we got very nice food, and they made our bed. Pink, with a beautifull view.
The next morning I changed the diaper of the baby, we made a walk and had a very strong breakfast together with some children. It contained ground mais and wheat boiled in water and salt, afterwards they added fresh milk and berry jam, delicious.... but little too much for Saartje ;)
They brought us afterwards back to the road leaving Malta. But before we made some pics of the big family. May god bless them!
After a while we were taken by a pick up truck and brought us to the lake of Luza. There we met some very drunk Russians (50% of Letvia is Russian) witch wanted us to drink too, but we could refuse and got some pork with bread and fresh tomatoes. We could camp on there land but we were very soon bored of there shittalking, so we left for a more quiet place on the other shore of the lake. After putting up the tent, we fell asleep immediatly. We felt tired and I felt like a little bit down. Hich hiking asks a lot of people. It brings really the grills of people to you. Some very beautifull, others less. But I thank al those who were rude and all those who were kind. I thank all those who didn't stop, they made it possible the others could stop.
After a long night but a bumpy night(not very good for the back) we left and hich hiked with two Jony's in a bumping car (the trunck was one big woofer) to Rezekne. They left us at the train station. At 22.50u we'll take the train to St-Petersburg.
so see you in Russia!
woensdag 12 augustus 2009
the last moments of Polen
Friends,
I know we email a lot now, but we have to go on internet because we have to know where we are going and I think our family won't mind if we emailed too much :)
Our trainride to the north of Polen was one without a lot of sleep but its again a beautiful experience :) Oh, I have to tell this ( I know ou mothers would approve so sorry mammie :) We took the train from Krakow to Gyzicko but had to switch trains in Torun. So, like I said, we didn't had a lot of sleep so I was still trying to close my eyes when the train stopped for like the 50th time and I looked out of the window and saw we were in Torun! So I shook Simon and screamed we had to get off. Everything went so slowly, we had to wake up, grap our bag, put our shoes on, make sure we had everything and while we strumbeld in the corridor, I heard the whisle of the controlman. I pulled at the door but it was locked and the controlman stood next to me, I felt the train moving, and I screamed 'wij moeten er hier af!' ('we have to get off' in dutch) I knew he didn't understand me but I'm pretty sure he'd understood our movements and signs. Eventually an other man opened the door and we both jumped off the train, relieved and eventually we had a really big laugh with the two bewilderd and surely suprised faces of the men. After that shock we took a litlle train, not so adventurous but with amazing beautiful views, to Gizycko.
So we are our last moments in Gizycko, the north of Polen. It wasn't really what we expected, we thought it would be a nice lake what plenty of walking pads. Instead it is one camping after the other, so it is all protected by fences and no pad around the lake. So yesterday was a really lazy day. We were so tired and did a little walk but then reallized that it wasn't going to work and we really needed a good meal to weak up. So I spent most of the day reading my book in our tent while simon searched an internetcafe. And then we met Julien on our camping, he's a frenchman who is travelling in Europe for a couple of months, all by himself. So we exchanged our experience ( the little we have untill now), I found it a really nice evening. The one thing that frustrates me is that I can't express myself in another language as I want it to be, you understand? My french is so bad that I'm more quiet then I want to be and so it frustrates me that I want to join the conversation but the words just keep stuck in my head because I can't translate them in there language. It's not only with french, here in Polen they don't speak a lot of english or other languages so most of the time we can't explain what we are thinking. But yeah, I know that that is not going to be better if we head to Russia ;)
So, I think we are going to leave Polen and try to hitch hike trough Latvia and Lithuania in the next 3 to 4 days :) It is a long way up. You see, our plans are changing rapidly, we are not going to visit these countries because we want to spend a whole month in Russia. I'm a litlle scared for that, the big Russia, just because I don't know what to expect. But I'm really eager to go. A bit of nervousness is always good, isn't it?
Oke, I wrote way too much, so I have to stop :) We go know, write you soon!
kisses
I know we email a lot now, but we have to go on internet because we have to know where we are going and I think our family won't mind if we emailed too much :)
Our trainride to the north of Polen was one without a lot of sleep but its again a beautiful experience :) Oh, I have to tell this ( I know ou mothers would approve so sorry mammie :) We took the train from Krakow to Gyzicko but had to switch trains in Torun. So, like I said, we didn't had a lot of sleep so I was still trying to close my eyes when the train stopped for like the 50th time and I looked out of the window and saw we were in Torun! So I shook Simon and screamed we had to get off. Everything went so slowly, we had to wake up, grap our bag, put our shoes on, make sure we had everything and while we strumbeld in the corridor, I heard the whisle of the controlman. I pulled at the door but it was locked and the controlman stood next to me, I felt the train moving, and I screamed 'wij moeten er hier af!' ('we have to get off' in dutch) I knew he didn't understand me but I'm pretty sure he'd understood our movements and signs. Eventually an other man opened the door and we both jumped off the train, relieved and eventually we had a really big laugh with the two bewilderd and surely suprised faces of the men. After that shock we took a litlle train, not so adventurous but with amazing beautiful views, to Gizycko.
So we are our last moments in Gizycko, the north of Polen. It wasn't really what we expected, we thought it would be a nice lake what plenty of walking pads. Instead it is one camping after the other, so it is all protected by fences and no pad around the lake. So yesterday was a really lazy day. We were so tired and did a little walk but then reallized that it wasn't going to work and we really needed a good meal to weak up. So I spent most of the day reading my book in our tent while simon searched an internetcafe. And then we met Julien on our camping, he's a frenchman who is travelling in Europe for a couple of months, all by himself. So we exchanged our experience ( the little we have untill now), I found it a really nice evening. The one thing that frustrates me is that I can't express myself in another language as I want it to be, you understand? My french is so bad that I'm more quiet then I want to be and so it frustrates me that I want to join the conversation but the words just keep stuck in my head because I can't translate them in there language. It's not only with french, here in Polen they don't speak a lot of english or other languages so most of the time we can't explain what we are thinking. But yeah, I know that that is not going to be better if we head to Russia ;)
So, I think we are going to leave Polen and try to hitch hike trough Latvia and Lithuania in the next 3 to 4 days :) It is a long way up. You see, our plans are changing rapidly, we are not going to visit these countries because we want to spend a whole month in Russia. I'm a litlle scared for that, the big Russia, just because I don't know what to expect. But I'm really eager to go. A bit of nervousness is always good, isn't it?
Oke, I wrote way too much, so I have to stop :) We go know, write you soon!
kisses
zondag 9 augustus 2009
Zakopane
Haidie,
the second day in this really crowdy place. So friday we went to Auswitch, not a nice experience but it was a very good guide. We were a bit suprised that you had to take a guide and walk around in group ( especcialy me, saartje, was frustrated because I don't like groups) but it was so overwhelming that is was good to walk in group. We are happy we've done it. Normally it was also with a visit to Birkenau but it was so late and already emotional that we called it a day and went back to Krakow where we took the bus to Zakopane.
Simon wrote before that it wasn't always gloomy, well, the arrive in Zakopane wasn't either. It was 22 O'clock when we arrived and we searched for 1,5 hours and seen the hole city with our backpack when we were really tired. Eventually we found a camping in the south of the city. Yesterday we did the mountain Gubalowka and there were so many people! Simon played at the high rope parcour (see the pics if you don't understnd me :)> Today we walked all across Czarny staw Gasienicowy, it is a lake in the mountains. I think we walked more then 20 km so we are exhausted. Tonight we will take the train to Godzine, we will arrive tomorrow because it is really far. We underestimated the size of Poland so we're gonna take the train instead of hitch hiking.
Hope everything in Belgium is nice too, don't worry too much about us, we have a really great time!
Ohja, Lyssa, we hebben 23 zoenen over de bergen gestuurd, een ongelofelijk gelukkige verjaardag! We vinden het erg dat we hem moeten missen, anders hadden we je wel doodgeknuffeld :)
kisses!
the second day in this really crowdy place. So friday we went to Auswitch, not a nice experience but it was a very good guide. We were a bit suprised that you had to take a guide and walk around in group ( especcialy me, saartje, was frustrated because I don't like groups) but it was so overwhelming that is was good to walk in group. We are happy we've done it. Normally it was also with a visit to Birkenau but it was so late and already emotional that we called it a day and went back to Krakow where we took the bus to Zakopane.
Simon wrote before that it wasn't always gloomy, well, the arrive in Zakopane wasn't either. It was 22 O'clock when we arrived and we searched for 1,5 hours and seen the hole city with our backpack when we were really tired. Eventually we found a camping in the south of the city. Yesterday we did the mountain Gubalowka and there were so many people! Simon played at the high rope parcour (see the pics if you don't understnd me :)> Today we walked all across Czarny staw Gasienicowy, it is a lake in the mountains. I think we walked more then 20 km so we are exhausted. Tonight we will take the train to Godzine, we will arrive tomorrow because it is really far. We underestimated the size of Poland so we're gonna take the train instead of hitch hiking.
Hope everything in Belgium is nice too, don't worry too much about us, we have a really great time!
Ohja, Lyssa, we hebben 23 zoenen over de bergen gestuurd, een ongelofelijk gelukkige verjaardag! We vinden het erg dat we hem moeten missen, anders hadden we je wel doodgeknuffeld :)
kisses!
vrijdag 7 augustus 2009
Day 12
We had a really great time here in Krakow.
We'll tell everything later, but now we are waiting on Ania to wake up so I can pack my sleeping matrass and she can help us with the time table of the trains and busses.
We will go today to Auswitch and later on to the beautifull Zakopane, to walk a bit in the mountains.
After that we'll take the train to the north of Poland, and cross then lithuania and latvia.
She woke up,
see you later
We'll tell everything later, but now we are waiting on Ania to wake up so I can pack my sleeping matrass and she can help us with the time table of the trains and busses.
We will go today to Auswitch and later on to the beautifull Zakopane, to walk a bit in the mountains.
After that we'll take the train to the north of Poland, and cross then lithuania and latvia.
She woke up,
see you later
dinsdag 4 augustus 2009
Krakow + Pics 50 Faces project Berlin and Tachelles Berlin
Hy,
we are in Krakow, and we just have so much luck! We left Wroclaw by train. It wasn't easy buying a ticket, the people kept talking in Polish while we kept on asking for English while there was a long cue behind us. So I Send Saartje to Find someone young who could help us, and so it worked out. Luckily we just ate good Chinese food for 5 euro together with cola, because the train ride was almost five hours!! The ride was ok, except for the door which kept on falling open and closing with big slams. Poland seems to be very poor. The condition of the houses is very bad, bud the feelds are very beautiful, full of flowers. Also the rivers are impressive, not walled, but just as they are, with lot of flood area.
But generally the human side gives a sad impression.
Before we left Wroclaw, we mailed a lot of people in Krakow to as if we could stay over. Only one answered in time, but he lived 30 min from the city, so we had to take another train. Once in the station we had to hurry to catch it, but we had to buy another ticket, but didn't found it, so we asked it at some English speaking young fellows. At that point I was suddenly so frank to ask if they hadn't a place where we could sleep, and they said 'yes'!!!!
So now I am writing on Ania's and Krystians laptop to you! They showed us around in the city, treated us on food and vodka in a nice bar.
They are so nice, and very good English speaking. And unbelievable hospitable!
This trip was untill now great, off course not always gloomy. Like in the Deserted hospital at night before we found oure sleeping place, we were a bit scared. And the grey atmosphere in Poland gives me an empty feeling and a disconsolate feeling.
But Ania and Krystian changed this now.
Good night
more pics
50faces project in Berlin
Tachelles in Berlin
we are in Krakow, and we just have so much luck! We left Wroclaw by train. It wasn't easy buying a ticket, the people kept talking in Polish while we kept on asking for English while there was a long cue behind us. So I Send Saartje to Find someone young who could help us, and so it worked out. Luckily we just ate good Chinese food for 5 euro together with cola, because the train ride was almost five hours!! The ride was ok, except for the door which kept on falling open and closing with big slams. Poland seems to be very poor. The condition of the houses is very bad, bud the feelds are very beautiful, full of flowers. Also the rivers are impressive, not walled, but just as they are, with lot of flood area.
But generally the human side gives a sad impression.
Before we left Wroclaw, we mailed a lot of people in Krakow to as if we could stay over. Only one answered in time, but he lived 30 min from the city, so we had to take another train. Once in the station we had to hurry to catch it, but we had to buy another ticket, but didn't found it, so we asked it at some English speaking young fellows. At that point I was suddenly so frank to ask if they hadn't a place where we could sleep, and they said 'yes'!!!!
So now I am writing on Ania's and Krystians laptop to you! They showed us around in the city, treated us on food and vodka in a nice bar.
They are so nice, and very good English speaking. And unbelievable hospitable!
This trip was untill now great, off course not always gloomy. Like in the Deserted hospital at night before we found oure sleeping place, we were a bit scared. And the grey atmosphere in Poland gives me an empty feeling and a disconsolate feeling.
But Ania and Krystian changed this now.
Good night
more pics
50faces project in Berlin
Tachelles in Berlin
poland day 3
Haidie,
here we are again. We are just 8 days away from home but it feels so much more.
Last time we mailed we were still in Berlin. Friday we visited Tachales, an anarchistric building with some nice art stuff ( look at the pictures).
Anna told us about deserted places and buildings nearby Berlin, so we tried to find the hospital. It was so great and really magnificent but it was almost dark and so it became very very spooky. I was really not at my ease so we searched a place to sleep and found one behind the firefighters :) apparently there are a lot of young people in the weekends who come to this place so they screamed and threw little noisy bombs. The next morning we looked at another building the gymnasium, what was very big! Nice place, we are glad we've seen it.
so we started to hitch hike to Woodstock. After a while hitch hiking in Germany I can say that they are not so willing to take us, it is rather dificult and I don't know why. It looks like they are scared of us and don't trust us. But evently we managed to reach Woodstock and it was so overhelming! So many people, it was like crazy. Cars and tents everywhere, we couldn't make a difference between the campingspace and the music arrea.
But it was a good experience, seen that, done that.
yesterday we tried to hitch hike to Krakau, picked up by Wojciech. People here drive like crazy! We visited his grandmother and tried the talk a bit in English but it was really hard. Eventually arrived in Wroclaw and slept in a little hostel. It was so nice to take a shower after all the dust from Woodstock! :)
So we met Alex, a really nice guy from Austria, he took us to the centre of the city and explained us how to get around. Now, we are planning to hitch hike to Krakau and find a place to sleep. Good luck to us and see you next time :)
here we are again. We are just 8 days away from home but it feels so much more.
Last time we mailed we were still in Berlin. Friday we visited Tachales, an anarchistric building with some nice art stuff ( look at the pictures).
Anna told us about deserted places and buildings nearby Berlin, so we tried to find the hospital. It was so great and really magnificent but it was almost dark and so it became very very spooky. I was really not at my ease so we searched a place to sleep and found one behind the firefighters :) apparently there are a lot of young people in the weekends who come to this place so they screamed and threw little noisy bombs. The next morning we looked at another building the gymnasium, what was very big! Nice place, we are glad we've seen it.
so we started to hitch hike to Woodstock. After a while hitch hiking in Germany I can say that they are not so willing to take us, it is rather dificult and I don't know why. It looks like they are scared of us and don't trust us. But evently we managed to reach Woodstock and it was so overhelming! So many people, it was like crazy. Cars and tents everywhere, we couldn't make a difference between the campingspace and the music arrea.
But it was a good experience, seen that, done that.
yesterday we tried to hitch hike to Krakau, picked up by Wojciech. People here drive like crazy! We visited his grandmother and tried the talk a bit in English but it was really hard. Eventually arrived in Wroclaw and slept in a little hostel. It was so nice to take a shower after all the dust from Woodstock! :)
So we met Alex, a really nice guy from Austria, he took us to the centre of the city and explained us how to get around. Now, we are planning to hitch hike to Krakau and find a place to sleep. Good luck to us and see you next time :)
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